No. 161 Squadron RAF
Encyclopedia
No. 161 Squadron was a highly secretive unit of the Royal Air Force
tasked with missions of the Special Operations Executive
during the Second World War. Their primary role was to drop and collect secret agents and equipment into and from Nazi-occupied Europe. The squadron had a secondary role in acting as the King's Flight.
The squadron was reformed at RAF Newmarket
on 15 February 1942 when the King's Flight was combined with elements of 138 Squadron
. In April, 161 Squadron moved to RAF Tempsford
in Bedfordshire
where it would remain until disbandment on 2 June 1945.
The Lysanders, Hudsons and Havocs were used for parachuting/landing and collection of agents whilst the Whitworths, Halifaxes and Stirlings were used for supply-dropping missions.
This aircraft and the remains of the pilot were discovered 53 years, to the day, after it went missing on an operation.
Royal Air Force
The Royal Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Formed on 1 April 1918, it is the oldest independent air force in the world...
tasked with missions of the Special Operations Executive
Special Operations Executive
The Special Operations Executive was a World War II organisation of the United Kingdom. It was officially formed by Prime Minister Winston Churchill and Minister of Economic Warfare Hugh Dalton on 22 July 1940, to conduct guerrilla warfare against the Axis powers and to instruct and aid local...
during the Second World War. Their primary role was to drop and collect secret agents and equipment into and from Nazi-occupied Europe. The squadron had a secondary role in acting as the King's Flight.
History
A proposal was made on 9 May 1918 to create a Squadron flying the Airco DH.9A in a daylight bombing role. The scheduled formation date was postponed several times before the plans were entirely cancelled.The squadron was reformed at RAF Newmarket
RAF Newmarket
RAF Newmarket was an RAF station near Newmarket, Suffolk, England, near the border with Cambridgeshire.The RAF station was actually a grass-strip on Newmarket's Rowley Mile Racecourse...
on 15 February 1942 when the King's Flight was combined with elements of 138 Squadron
No. 138 Squadron RAF
No. 138 Squadron RAF was a squadron of the Royal Air Force that served in a variety of roles during its career, last disbanded in 1962. It was the first 'V-bomber' squadron of the RAF, flying the Vickers Valiant between 1955 and 1962....
. In April, 161 Squadron moved to RAF Tempsford
RAF Tempsford
RAF Tempsford in Bedfordshire, England was perhaps the most secret Royal Air Force airfield in World War II. It was home to the Special Duties Squadrons, No. 138, which dropped Special Operations Executive agents and their supplies into occupied Europe, and No...
in Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire
Bedfordshire is a ceremonial county of historic origin in England that forms part of the East of England region.It borders Cambridgeshire to the north-east, Northamptonshire to the north, Buckinghamshire to the west and Hertfordshire to the south-east....
where it would remain until disbandment on 2 June 1945.
Aircraft
Several types of aircraft were used by the squadron in the course of their duties.- Westland LysanderWestland LysanderThe Westland Lysander was a British army co-operation and liaison aircraft produced by Westland Aircraft used immediately before and during the Second World War...
February 1942 - November 1944 - Armstrong Whitworth Whitley VArmstrong Whitworth WhitleyThe Armstrong Whitworth A.W.38 Whitley was one of three British twin-engine, front line medium bomber types in service with the Royal Air Force at the outbreak of the Second World War...
February 1942 - December 1942 - Havoc IDouglas DB-7The Douglas A-20/DB-7 Havoc was a family of American attack, light bomber and night fighter aircraft of World War II, that served with several Allied air forces, principally those of the Soviet Union, United Kingdom, and United States. The DB-7 was also used by the air forces of Australia, South...
February 1942 - December 1943 - Handley Page Halifax B.Mk IIHandley Page HalifaxThe Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
September 1942 - December 1942 - Handley Page Halifax B.Mk VHandley Page HalifaxThe Handley Page Halifax was one of the British front-line, four-engined heavy bombers of the Royal Air Force during the Second World War. A contemporary of the famous Avro Lancaster, the Halifax remained in service until the end of the war, performing a variety of duties in addition to bombing...
November 1942 to November 1944 - Lockheed Hudson III / VLockheed HudsonThe Lockheed Hudson was an American-built light bomber and coastal reconnaissance aircraft built initially for the Royal Air Force shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War and primarily operated by the RAF thereafter...
October 1943-June 1945 - Short Stirling III and IVShort StirlingThe Short Stirling was the first four-engined British heavy bomber of the Second World War. The Stirling was designed and built by Short Brothers to an Air Ministry specification from 1936, and entered service in 1941...
September 1944 - June 1945
The Lysanders, Hudsons and Havocs were used for parachuting/landing and collection of agents whilst the Whitworths, Halifaxes and Stirlings were used for supply-dropping missions.
External links
- History of No. 161 Squadron
- http://www.rafweb.org/Sqn161-165.htm
- http://www.tempsford-squadrons.info Information on the Tempsford Squadrons
- http://www.161squadron.org Final flight, and recovery of, Hudson FK790.
This aircraft and the remains of the pilot were discovered 53 years, to the day, after it went missing on an operation.